Budget Friendly Baby Shower

Flower arrangements on the fireplace from our yard, vases are from Daughter #3 wedding centerpieces a few years back. We have used the vases dozens of time since then.

Invitations printed at home, total cost $8.00

Centerpiece for refreshments, Dress form from scrap room. Filled it with homemade flower clips and bows to accessorize the new baby girl, along with a floppy hat for $4.99 (my gift)

Baby quilt was the table runner along with matching burp cloths (my gift) for the desert table

Pink lanterns reused from former showers, glass plates, water goblets, punch bowl and serving dishes we have used hundreds of times, no wasted $$ on paper products plus it looks a little nicer

Daughter #1 opened her home today to help host a baby shower for a dear friend and her Daughter-In-Law who is expecting her 1st Grand baby. Dad is in the military deployed away from home, Nanny-to-be and Mommy-to-be needed a little pampering!! Everything turned out lovely, Nanny and Mommy were showered with practical much needed gifts along with a few just toooo cute to pass up outfits. In keeping with our commitment to a more frugal life this year there was a lot of recycling, repurposing, homemade gifts and decorations. Our menu was Chicken salad pita's, flat baked pretzels, guacamole with pita chips, fruit/dip, veggies/dip along with punch to drink and store bought cupcakes for desert. Total cost was $94.00 for the whole she bang, my gifts are included in the price. I would say that is a pretty thrifty shower that no one could tell where the cost cutting was.

Chips, dips, and fixins for the punch were all free using coupons and sales, picked up (2) baked chickens on sale today for the chicken salad at $4.99@. No wasted money on decorations they were all part of the new babies gift from me, no paper products were purchased, we will use the dishes for MANY more years! Flower arrangements were from my yard, free, vases, recycled. I figure we saved over $350.00, including my gifts!!! Below is the breakdown of what this would have cost in our area

Invitations - $36.00

Sandwich tray - $45.00

Punch - $12.00

Veggie tray - $42.00

Fruit tray - $28.00

Centerpieces - $50.00

Paper products - $25.00

Baby quilt - $65.00

Burp clothes - $22.95@ $92.00(can you believe people will pay that!)

Floppy hat - $22.95 regular price

Headbands - $12.99 @ $60.00, I paid $.99 cents each

Hair clips - $5.00@ $75.00, all came from scrapin supplies free

In the spirit of full disclosure I did pick up Daughter #1 a new sun dress for the shower. PG mommies need to feel cute, it was purchased at Kholes on sale and during free bucks week along with a few other things we need around here, have $40.00 in Kholes bucks to spend next week. Granted it took me a whole lot longer to make the gifts, plan the menu then watch for sales and coupons, print the invitations, load the dishes in the dishwasher, cut and arrange flowers but it can also be an adventure!!! Saving money is not all about deprivation, it's doing more with what you got!!